Nasi ulam

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons dried shrimp
• 1 small piece dried salted fish, deep-fried (optional)
• 2 tablespoons kerisik (toasted coconut paste)
• 1 tablespoon toasted belacan (shrimp paste; see page 192)
• 740 g (4 cups) cooked rice (see notes)
• 1.5 cm (½ in) piece turmeric, chopped (optional)
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
• Ulam herbs
• 6 red shallots, finely sliced
• 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely sliced
• 3 vietnamese mint sprigs, leaves picked and finely sliced
• 3 thai basil sprigs, leaves picked and finely sliced
• 3 mint sprigs, leaves picked and finely sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
• 1 turmeric leaf, finely sliced (optional)
• 3–4 betel leaves, finely sliced